Harrow



(No Model.)

' J. D. TRACY.

HARROW.

No. 263,368. Patented Aug. 279, 1882. 8

' ATTORNEYS.

ilnrrnn STATES Parent Price,

JOHN D. TRACY, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

HARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,368, dated August29,1882.

Application filed June 14,1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. TRACY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sterling, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harrows; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to certain improvements in harrows, andpertains toa mode of applying the truss principle to iron harrows,whereby the maximum of strength is obtained from a given weight of iron;to the improved mode of bracing and connecting the several parts, and toa novel and useful device for seating'the barrow-tooth, by means ofwhich the latter will automatically assume a perpendicular or obliqueposition as the harrow may be drawn from one or the other end.

I In the drawings, Figure l is a top view of part of a section of aharrow embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3represents the head-block. Fig. at is a detached view of the clampswhich hold the teeth. A A are parallel iron bars, of about an inch inwidth and one-fourth inch in thickness, placed edgewise, and whichconstitute the harrow-beam. As my invention, in part, has reference tousing such bars in pairs with an interval between them, I would herestate that such construction, like that of ahollow pillar, gives thegreatest strength in proportion to the amount of metal involved.

B B are cross-braces, made of iron, substantially the same in size asthe bars A; but as the strain on the braces B is chiefly in a horizontalplane such braces are placed with their greatest diameter in thatdirection. The braces B also are used in pairs and parallel, one of eachpair passing over and one under the bars A. At the points ofintersection of the bars A and braces B, I interpose the square-sidedhead-block O, in which are formed the holes a and I), such holes beingadjacent but perpendicular to each other.

(No model.)

The junction of the bars A and braces B at each intersection is formedby inserting, as aforesaid, between the four walls formed by crossingthe braces B over and under the bars A, thehead-blockG, and passing theboltdhorizontally and laterally through the bars A A and the hole a inthe head-block O, and passing the bolt a vertically through the braces BB and the hole Z) in head-block O.

I) l) are iron clamps, having on their inner faces the grooveh, tittedrespectively to receive the sides of the harrow-tooth E. In front of thegroove his formed, through both clamps D, the horizontal hole i. ThetoothEis placed between the clamps D, extending into the grooves htherein. A bolt, Z, is passed horizont-ally through the braces B and thehole z' in the clamps l) and tightened by means of a nut. The clamps I)serve not only to hold the tooth E, but, with the tooth, serve also as afilling for the bars A to receive the strain on the bolt l. 011 theouter upper edges of the clamps D are formed the flanges m in. The frontupper edges of the clamps D are extended upward, so as to permit theflanges m m to have two divisions, n and 0, forming an obtuse angle witheach other. The flanges m rest on the upper edge of the bars A andsupport and give position to the tooth E. The bolt 1 forms a pivot uponwhich the clamps D and tooth E rock. \Vhen the part a of the flanges m,which is at right angles with the tooth E, rests on the bars A, suchtooth is in a perpendicular position. \iVhen the part 0 of such flangesrests on the-bars A the teeth stand obliquely to the rear. The purposeof dividing the flanges on into the divisions n and 0 is to provide inone implement a stirring and a smoothing barrow.

Hooks for attaching the team are placed at both ends of the harrow. Allof the teeth are inserted with the flanges m in the same position. Whenthe draft is from one end of the harrow the points of the teeth E catchinto the ground,and acting as a lever on the pivot- 5 bolt l the clampsDare rocked over onto the division at of the flange m and the tooth isheld in a perpendicular position. When the draft is applied at theopposite end of the harrow the clamps D are in like manner rocked onto100 the division 0 of the flanges m and the lower ends of all of theteeth point obliquely to the rear. Thus the harrowis convertedautomatically from a smoothing to a stirring harroW, and vice versa, bymerely changing the draft from one end to the other. The uses andadvantages of both styles of barrow are too well known to requirespecial mention.

Iron is being used, and is preferable, for all implements which areexposed to the vicissi-. tudes of wet and dry. The truss form of barsand braces, by which each bar serves in turn to resist compression andtension, must be adopted it iron is to supersede wood in theconstruction of harrows.

In my invention I believe is presented the simplest, cheapest formoftruss-harrow. All the joints and attachments are by means of holes andnutted bolts, so that the implement is readily taken apart or puttogether and dcl'ective or broken parts supplied.

Vhat I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

1. In combination with bars A and braces 13, the bolts 01, the bolts 0,and the head-block O,provided with the holes aand b, perpendicular toeach other, substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

2. In a harrow, the clamps D, having the flanges m, such flanges beingformed in divisions at and 0 in angular relation to each other, so as tofurnish separate bearings for such clamps and hold the tooth E indifferent positions, substantially as shown, and for thepurposedescribed.'

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. TRACY.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. QUIG-LEY, V. S. FERGUSON.

